5 Takeaways from Week 3 of Central Florida high school football

Lake Mary pushes Lakeland to brink, Cocoa falls to IMG, Eau Gallie defense shines

Quarterback Noah Grubbs and the Lake Mary football team nearly knocked off Lakeland, Friday, losing by a single point in the game's final minute. /

The third week of Central Florida high school football action saw some of the state’s, and even, the nation’s, best programs go head to head. And, some of the results were a doozy.

Two-time defending state champs Cocoa and Lakeland got varying results in their match-ups, and multiple schools on the east coast of Florida showed why they belong in the conversation of title contenders.

Here are our 5 takeaways from regular-season Week 3 action involving Central Florida teams:

Lake Mary nearly beats two-time state champ Lakeland

Take away the last 39 seconds of Friday night’s game and Lake Mary (2-1) would have recorded one of the biggest wins in school history. The Rams led two-time defending state champ Lakeland, 28-21, and were on the cusp of one of the biggest upsets of the 2024 season when they missed a 34-yard field goal that would have given them a 10-point lead.

Taking advantage of the miss, Lakeland’s Shanard Clower hauled in a pass from quarterback Zander Smith and streaked 80 yards for a TD with 25 seconds left, forcing a 28-28 tie and overtime. It was the second 80-yard catch-and-run for a TD for Clower, who turned in an electrifying performance that also included a 98-yard kickoff return for a score.

In overtime, Smith scored on a 6-yard bootleg for a TD to give Lakeland (2-0) a 35-28 lead. Lake Mary’s Isaiah Thomas then scored on a 10-yard TD run but the Rams missed the ensuing two-point conversion and lost 35-34.

Lake Mary quarterback Noah Grubbs, a Notre Dame commit, threw four TD passes – all to different receivers – and the Rams’ defense showed, despite a few breakdowns, they have the stuff to lead this Seminole County power to a state championship.

Lake Mary returns to action on Sept. 20 when it visits Dr. Phillips.

Cocoa falls to IMG Academy in Bradenton

The two-time defending state champ Tigers powered onto the national stage last season after going 14-1, losing only to fellow national power St. Thomas Aquinas in a controversial ending. But the Brevard County power found out Friday that playing national powers on a regular basis is not an easy task.

IMG Academy (2-1), ranked No. 6 in the SBLive/SI Top 25 national high school rankings, overpowered No. 10 Cocoa, 34-13.

The Ascenders forced four turnovers, three alone from Cocoa quarterback Brady Hart, a Michigan commit, and got ample enough offense to win this one.

IMG running back Donovan Johnson, another Michigan commit, ran for more than 115 yards, and quarterback Ty Hawkins completed 13 of 16 passes for 145 yards and three TDs against the Tigers’ vaunted defense.

Cocoa returns home on Sept. 13 to take on Heritage of Palm Bay.

Eau Gallie defense records another shutout

The Commodores’ narrow loss to defending state champ Daytona Beach Mainland in a preseason Kickoff Classic game has apparently motivated this Brevard County team to an unbelievable degree.

Unbeaten Eau Gallie (3-0) recorded its second straight shutout, beating Heritage of Palm Bay, 21-0. The Commodores have outscored opponents, 90-27, since falling to Mainland in a preseason game.

Eau Gallie defensive back Xavier Lherisse, one of the top recruits in the country, intercepted two passes and scored on a 51-yard TD pass from Joseph Allen.

The Commodores visit Satellite on Sept. 13.

Spruce Creek keeps rolling in Volusia County

The Hawks scored 14 points in a wild fourth-quarter comeback to beat Creekside, 36-29. Denali Campbell came up huge for the Hawks (3-0), recovering a fumble on a kickoff to set up the game-winning TD pass from PJ Miller to Tony Kinsler.

Miller came off the bench to spark the Hawks, delivering crisp passes to set up a TD run by Campbell and then threw a TD strike to Kinsler to seal the win.

Spruce Creek travels to take on Georgia power Camden County on Sept. 13. Camden County is coached by former Mainland coach Travis Roland.

Leesburg overcomes transfers to go to 3-0

The Yellow Jackets lost a lot of talented players in the offseason to The First Academy (Orlando) but have shown they can handle a little adversity, and more.

Leesburg routed Eustis, 64-6, on Friday, to remain undefeated. The Jackets’ offense has been unbelievable in the early going, racking up 158 points.

Leesburg’s defense has been equally as impressive, allowing only 12 points in three games. The Yellow Jackets host Ocala Vanguard on Sept. 13.